WEBVTT : REPORTS, IT WAS STARTED BY ALOCAL MAN WHO RECOGNIZED PROMISEIN THE CITY AND RESIDENTS ANDBUSINESS OWNERS HAVE RUN WITHrtIT.ERIKA: THEY ARE BOLD BEAUTIFULAND PROVING TO BETRANSFORMATIVE.15, IN SOME CASES,BUILDING-SIZED MURALS IN A 10BLOCK AREA OF DOWNTOWN LYNN.rt>> I KNEW LYNN AS A REALLY COOL.-- A REALLY COOL CITY.rtERIK FROM WALPOLE, AL WILSONWAS INSPIRED BY OTHER CITIESWHERE PUBLIC ART HAS FOSTEREDrtNEIGHBORHOODS.HE STARTED WITH FEEDBACK FROMTHE COMMUNITY.>> THAT FEEDBACK WAS MORE PUBLICART, THEY WANTED TO LIGHT THEUNDERPASSES OF THE MBTA COMMUTERRAIL, ENGAGE SIDEWALK SPACE.rtERIKA: HIS EFFORT, BEYOND WALLSAIMS TO RESPOND., THE MURALS WERE PAINTED IN 10DAYS BY ARTISTS FROM AROUND THEWORLD.rt>> THIS IS A PIECE BY ANGURRIA ILOVE THIS ONE, YEAH.SO DOMINrtICAN BASED ARTIST, THISWAS ACTUALLY HIS FIRST TIME INTHE USERIKA: THE GOAL WAS TO REFLECTTHE CULTURrtAL MAKEUP OF LYNN.THERE'S A SIZEABLE CAMBODIANPOPULATION HERE SO IT WAS REALLYIMPORTANT FOR US TO BRING IN ATOP CAMBODIAN ARTIST. >> THIS IS THE WORK OF HIP HOPLEGEND CEY ADArtMS, THE FOUNDINGCREATIVE DIRECTOR FOR DEF JAMRECORDS.HE DID THE LP COVERS FOR THE>> BEASTIE BOYS, MARY J.BLIGE, LL COOL J.THE SCALE OF SOME AREBREATHTAKING.rt>> PART OF OUR MISSION HERE ISTHAT YOU COULDN'T DRIVE PASTLYNN, YOU COULDN'T TAKE THETRAIN PAST LYNN, YOU HAD TO SEELYNN FROM A DIFFERENTPERSPECTIVE MOVING FORWARD.>> SOME OF OUR LOCAL COFFEErtSHOP HAVE DONE 326 TIMES TIMESTHE BUSINESS THAT THEY WOULDORDINARILY DO AT THIS TIME OFYEAR.rtWE'VE HAD VISITORS FROM ALL OVERTHE STATE.>> SEVERAL PIECES OF VINTAGENEON ART ANTIQUE SIGNS ARE UP.THERE WILL BE A DOZEN IN TOTAL.ALSO TO COME, A TRIO OF DYNAMICLIGHT INSTALLATIONS rtAT OTHERWISEDARK AND OFTEN UNSAFEUNDERPASSES.>> IT'S PART OF THAT NARRATIVE,IF WE CAN ENGAGE THE SIDEWALKSrt, AND INCREASE WALKABILITY WE'LLENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO STAYOPEN LATER.IF BUSINESSES STAY OPEN LATER,rt AND THEY'RE GETTING BUSINESSTHAT'S A SECOND JOB OPPORTUNITY, FOR SOMEONE THAT LIVES HERE INLYNN.>> THE FEEDBACK HAS BEENOVERWHELMING.>> I LOVE THrtE MURALS, THEYBRIGHTEN UP THE CITY.ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE, I MEANIT'S JUST UPLIFTING.I THINK IT REALLY HAS CONNECTED>> PEOPLE WHICH WAS OUR ULTIMATE

A large scale art initiative is helping to transform Lynn. It’s thanks to the vision of a north shore man who recognized promise in the city.

Originally from Walpole, Al Wilson was inspired by other cities where public art has fostered neighborhoods. He started with feedback from the Lynn community.

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"That feedback was more public art, they wanted to light the underpasses of the MBTA commuter rail, engage sidewalk space," Wilson said

His nonprofit Beyond Walls aims to respond. The first phase was a mural project. Fifteen murals, in some cases building-sized, were painted in a 10-block area of downtown Lynn. They were completed in a 10-day period by artists from around the world. The goal was to reflect the cultural makeup of Lynn. Mayor Judith Kennedy says the murals are making a big difference for the city’s economy.

"Some of our local coffee shops have done three to six times the business that they would ordinarily do at this time of year,” Kennedy said. “We've had visitors from all over the state."

Several pieces of vintage neon art are also up as part of Beyond Walls. A dozen in total will eventually be installed. Also to come, a trio of dynamic light installations at otherwise dark and often unsafe underpasses.

"It's part of that narrative, if we can engage the sidewalks and increase walkability, we'll encourage businesses to stay open later,” Wilson said. “If businesses stay open later, and they're getting business, that's a second job opportunity for someone that lives here in Lynn."

Beyond Walls has been supported by donations from companies and foundations. 1,400 Lynn residents also donated money, and the Commonwealth matched those funds.